Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-07
THE VERMONT CATASTROPEsE.
The Number Of the Dead Still i'm Doubt,
Hut Certainly Over Forty.

THE VERMONT CATASTROPHE.
The Number Of the Dead Still i'm Doubt,
Hut Certainly Over Forty.
The full scope Of the appalling disaster near
White River junction, Vermont early Friday
morning is not yet definitely known. There is
no doubt that the number OF those who were
killed outright will reach over forty, while the
wounded, many OF whom will die number
many more. The disaster was the worst ever
known IN New England, and nothing to exceed ii
in sickening horror has darkened the annals OF
railroads The wonder is that any OF those who
were on the four cars which went down the en-
bankment into the river escaped instant death.
STORY OF A BRAKEMAN WHO SAVED HIMSELF.
George Parker, brakeman, who was on the
smoker at the time or the accident and who
jumped from the train when It reached the bridge,
says mat ne was in the forward passenger car
}asS sSsrp went on the bridge suddenly ne
WARD, and looking out from the rear end Of the
smoker, saw the four rear enter the bridge of
and cross tmbers. Thinki Ing The the Whole train
would be hurled from the bridge, he jumped and
way across" said he, 81 saw the rear
car make sharp pitch to the right and drop into
the shadow abyss like meteor, dragging three
Otner cars With 1t. saw the engine and two cars
keep on, witnessed the fiery plunge of the other
cars, heard them grind and thunder on the rocks
borhood. When returned names were bursting
forth from the passenger cars, and five minutes
later they We're all on flre 1 assisted In helping
people out OF the two sieepers and then looked on
and saw the poor fellows cremated alive heard
| them cry piteouSly for help and could not offer
them any aid on account Of the great heat"
RESCUED ALMOST NAKED.
Mr.. Charles w. Hosmer, OF Lowell Mass, tells
the following story: II was In the Central YER
mont sleeping car. can remember twenty-One
others who were in the ear with me. was awak-
ened by the dumping OF the car. Then came the
coach, and all was darkness and confusion. l do
not remember nearing any screaming but there
were means and calls for help. | found myself
pinned down by seat which lay across my hips,
but broke the window, and In some way-I cam
not tell how-worked myself out OF the window on
| to the Ice. should think the dropped fifty
hve feet The other three cars were also on the
Ice, having broken away from the forward part OF
| the train. Ny clothing, with the exception OF
shirts and my socks was torn from me in getting
| out A gentleman who occupied the berth next to
mine was struggling in the ruins and succeeded
| in eXtricatfng him. There was also lady in the
ruins and underneath me, whom we succeeded in
saving. but she was almost naked when we had
taken her out. 1t was necessary TO tear her cloth
ing of to get her out. She proved TO be Mrs. Pry-
den, OF Montreal. think was the first person TO
| get out. worked until was so chilled could do
nothing more. In few moments after the crash
the car took fire, and amid the swirling flames,
which Tapped onto the bridge and Illuminated the
| valley for long distance those who were unable
| toescape could be seen in the embrace of DEATH"
RENDERED INSANE BY THE SHOCK
Among the occupants of the sleeping car st. Al
bans were two Dartmouth college students, JOS
Veasey, son OF Judge Wheelock G. veazey, OF Rut-
land, Vt, of the state supreme court, and Edward
| F. Dillon, of Springfield, VT, the well known
pitcher OF the university base bail nine who We're
on their way to spend Sunday at young Veazey's
home They were chums, and were very popular
| at college. Dillon was young man OF fine prom
Use. As the car fell they were Imprisoned beneath
the timbers, and had abandoned all hope OF being
rescued. The friends retained their self-contrOl
and presence OF mind speaking OF many OF their
college and other pleasant experiences, as we'll as
soon to fall. The IRE worked gradually towapds
| them, and veazey had given up all hope OF escape
when the timbers holding him down gave way,
having been burned OIL, and he found himself re.
leased from the terrible position In which he had
been placed lie then set about to ind some way
and he was obliged to renquish bis exertions and
surrender his classmate TO the flames. Young
Veazey was made partially insane by this terrible
experience, but he Will recover.
An unknown man with baby clasped In his
arms was found dead in the ice near one of the
son to aid in recognizing him. The rescuers took
handsome little boy some four years OF age from
the wreck, and as no one has claimed him il is be-
heved his parents are among the dead. The child
can give no intelligent replies TO the questions
prOpOunded as to who he IS or where he came
from.
Mr.. W. H. Lee, OF Burlington, Vt, who was in
the forward part of the train and escaped injury.
says that soon after the accident man was no
tced leaning on the edge OF one OF the cars and
calling to his wife, saying: 'Mary you there?"
No answer came, and then he leaned back and
mOaneQ In his anguish. When Mr.. Lee looked at
him again he was gone, and it is supposed that
he jumped into the wreck and persisted with his
wife.
THE SEARCH FOR THE DEAD.
The search for the dead continued all day yes
| terday. Many fragments OF human bodies were
taken out, but it could not be definitely decided
just how many victims these fragments repre-
Sented. Some accounts said 81 and others II. No
record Is known OF the passengers on the Inflated
train. A number OF those on the cars which
eventually sank into the water were undoubtedly
cremated The White river (at the point where
the accident Occurred) is high and there is current
enough to carry human bodies beneath the ice TO
some distance from the wreck. 1t is not probable
that the exact number OF those who persisted will
ever be known
Train wreckerS said last night that fully So 600
in money and tewelry had been recovered 1t is
still uncertain just what caused the accident, but
the most probable explanation is that the intense
cold which increased in three hours from 2
degrees below zero to 30 below, snapped one OF
the rails aSunder.
PLACING THE KILLED AT SIXTY.
A dispatch from White River Junction, VT, last
night said: One OF the wrecked cars the ice had
not been overhauled at last accounts, and it was
thought that at least twenty bodies were in the
debris Should this prove so II would run the list
OF killed up to over sixty, not including those
which may have been carredfnUO the river through
OF persons on the train places IL at over 100.
The Bride Winston Failed TO Win.